Brad Friedman

Obama orders review of police militarization program

In response to concerns about the militarization of local police, which America has seen on shameful display in Ferguson, MO following the police killing of Michael Brown, President Obama indicated during a presser last Monday that there could be some change coming.

“There is a big difference between our military and our local law enforcement, and we don’t want those line blurred,” he said about the horses which long ago left the barn. “That would be contrary to our traditions.”

He added: “I think that there will be some bi-partisan interest in re-examining some of those programs.”

On Saturday, Obama announced an official review of the Pentagon’s “1033 Program” which, since 1990, has transferred, for free, some $4 billion worth of surplus military equipment, such as Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, armored Humvees, high-caliber weapons, aircraft, armed drones and silencers, to local law enforcement agencies around the country. As CNN has just reported:

President Barack Obama has ordered a review of programs allowing for state and local enforcement to buy military equipment, a senior administration official said Saturday.The decision follows public criticism of the use of such assets recently in Ferguson, Missouri.

The review will touch on several points, including

— Whether such programs and funding are appropriate;

— Whether state and local enforcement agencies have the necessary training and guidance after getting such equipment;

— Whether the federal government is sufficiently auditing the use of equipment obtained through federal programs and funding.

White House staff — including members of the Domestic Policy Council, the National Security Council, the Office of Management and Budget — will lead the review in coordination with Congress, according to the official.

Reuters adds that “relevant U.S. agencies including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice and Treasury,” will also participate in the review.

Last week, we reported on the small, but seemingly growing bi-partisan support for re-thinking the federal militarization of local law enforcement agencies. The rightwing New American, citing some of our coverage, has more on the bi-partisan calls for reform, noting that the “SWAT Lobby” (yes, apparently there’s a “SWAT Lobby”) is now working to defend the program.

“My main hope is to stop the flow of this military grade equipment to local law enforcement agencies throughout America,” Johnson told us during the interview onKPFK/Pacifica Radio. “We’ve been flooding the streets with this surplus military weaponry, and I think the situation in Ferguson exemplifies what happens when you have too much powerful equipment in the hands of folks who don’t have the judgment or the training to utilize it properly.” (Full interview here.)

The latest version of Johnson’s “Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act” [PDF] is here. The Congressman had begun work on the legislation long before Ferguson erupted, but is finally receiving recognition for that effort. Now, it seems, he and other proponents may have some support from the White House. But, we’ll see. These “reviews” have a way of disappearing into the ether. Legislation like Johnson’s, on the other hand, is what is needed to really make a difference in this shameful practice, which has, in truth, become little more than a way around the long-standing Posse Comitatus Act (1878) which expressly limited the use of federal military personnel to enforce local and state laws.

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Maya North

Body cams need to happen as well. Incidences of police violence dropped by 60% when they were instituted. I do think the cops need to be as well armed as the criminals, but looking like they’re going off to war is inappropriate. If they have weapons of that caliber, they *will* use them…

What’s to review?? Why can’t they just stop the flow of military equipment. Obama needs to grow a pair and do the right thing now-not next week-not next month. From my experience, all the equipment in the world won’t help you when people get pissed off at you, and there are a lot of people pissed off at that cop in Mo. Any man that would shoot an unarmed teen is a coward in my book. If he is acquitted the shit is going to hit the fan in that troubled little redneck town so they best get a bunch of equipment and hide behind it.

Body cams need to happen as well. Incidences of police violence dropped by 60% when they were instituted. I do think the cops need to be as well armed as the criminals, but looking like they’re going off to war is inappropriate. If they have weapons of that caliber, they *will* use them…

What’s to review?? Why can’t they just stop the flow of military equipment. Obama needs to grow a pair and do the right thing now-not next week-not next month. From my experience, all the equipment in the world won’t help you when people get pissed off at you, and there are a lot of people pissed off at that cop in Mo. Any man that would shoot an unarmed teen is a coward in my book. If he is acquitted the shit is going to hit the fan in that troubled little redneck town so they best get a bunch of equipment and hide behind it.